A METAANALYSIS OF THE EPIDEMIOLOGIC EVIDENCE REGARDING HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE TO ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELDS

There is evidence to suspect that a human health risk could exist from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Such a risk is likely to be very small and thus elusive to measure. This paper aims to evaluate the magnitude and manner of the potential human cancer risk associated with EMF exposure using the published literature. To accomplish this objective, a meta-analysis was performed with the published literature through 1991. Two conventional, summary techniques were used: geometric means and sample size weighing (Mantel-Haenszel). The summary risk estimates using these methods for cancer risk from EMF exposure are 1.6 and 2.0, respectively. Epidemiological studies are currently underway to address the EMF question and to measure EMF exposure more specifically. Until these studies are published and their results can be integrated into appropriate safety procedures, minimizing public health exposures is a prudent course.